Lacing for soccer footballs



May s, 192s. 1,669,198

T. GREER l LACING FOR SOCCER FOOTBALLS Filed Sept. 3. 1926ISSheetS-Sheetl May 8, 1928.

nvm/5555 1,669,198 T. GREER -LACING FOR SOCCER FOOTBALLS 3 Sheets-Sheet2 Filed sept. 5. 192e May 8. 1928.

T. GREER LACING FOR SOCCER FOOTBALLS Filed Sept. 5. 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet5 :12T/VE s e E5 @Heling Patented May 8,1928.

rarer OFFICE. l

THOMAS GREER, OF GLVRRSVELLE, `NE\` YORK; )SA'BELLL ADIlIINISTRATRIX FSAID THMAS Cil-.Rhin t, DECEASF,ASSGNR, L'ESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO WIL-jSON-'WESTERN Si(.)lLTINGY GGIDS COMPANY, OF GH'OAGQ ILLINOS, AkrCORPORA-TON OF DELAXVABE.

Application filed September 3, 1926. Serial No. 133,466.

This invention relates to balls of thetype embodying an inflatablebladder such ai footba-lls, basketballs, volley balls, rugby balls andthe like.V K

One of the primary objects of the invention is to provide novel meansfor lacing soccer and like balls, whereby such lacing will be flush withthe outer surface of the ball, thereby accurately preservingy the4contour of the ball and thus permitting the highest degree of speed. andaccuracy in the bouncing and rolling of the ball and the elimination ofthe risk of injury from projecting laces. i

Another salient object of the invention is thevprovision of means forlacing the casing` of soccer and like balls embodyingr polygonal shapedopenings instead of round openings through which the la ce is adapted tobe threaded., and recesses conununicating with said openings in whichthe laringe are adapted to fit, `whereby the said lacings will be flushwith the outer surface of the casing. A further-object of the inventionkis the provision of novel means `tor permitting the countersinking` ofthe lacings or ay soccer or like ball flush with the` outer surfacethereof with means forreinforcing` the ball at the lacing opening. D i

A still further obicctvof the invention is to provide a ball oli Vtheabove character which will be durable and eflicient in use, one thatwill be simple and easy to manufacture and one which can be placed uponthe market at a reasonablecost. Y lith these andother objeotsin view',the invention consists in the-novel construction, arrangement andformation of parts, as will be hereinafter more specifically described,claimed, and illustrated inthe eccoinpanying` drawings, in whichdrawings 'v Figure 1 is a plan view oi" a soccer ball illustrating oneform of the novel lacing',

Figure 2 is a fragmentary inside elevation of the ball and the plantermouth thereof showing the `formation of the reinforcement and the methodof lacing the ball,

Figure 3 isan enlarged detail section taken on the line 3-*3 of Figure 1lookingv in the direction of the arrows, f

Figure f1 Vis a similiar view taken on the line 4 4 of F igure 1 showingthe position of the legl in the grooves provided for that purpose, i l

Figure 5 is a fragmentary plan View of the ball with the la cmg removedshowing the novel `grooves or seats for the lace,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary inside elevation l of the casing of the ballwith removed, i i

F injure is an enlarged section taken on the line ill? of Figure 5looking in the direction of the arrows,

the lacing Figure S is a fragmentary top plan View` of the ball. oli'the soccer type showing a modified type of lacing, Y Figure 9 avfragmentary side elevation Aof the ball utilizing the modified type oflacing, Figure 10 is a transversesectiontaken on the line 10-10 otFigurer S looking` inthe direction of the arrows, i i

lFigure 11 is a tra,g ,mentary top plan lView with thelaoing removeReierring to the drawings in detail, whereu in similiar referencecharacters ydesignate corrcspondingparts throughout the several. views,the letter A lgenerally indicates a ball constructed in accordance withone forni or my invention.l The ball A @has `been 4shown of the soccerfootball type but it is to.y

be understood that the invention is toA be applied to all types of ballsembodying an outer protecting casing and anl inner inflatable bladder.

The ball A cmnprises a protecting easing' the licxible casing 15 on eachside of the slit or mouth 16 are reinforcing' leather strips y,19 whichexit-end to the said mouth or slit and cover the slots 18. The leatherreinforcing strips 1S) can be secured in any desired manner to thecasing, such as by the use oit al suitable adhesive and stitching 20.Attention is directed to the' manner of stitching' these leatherstripsin place and it is to be noted that a series of rows of stitching 21 isutilized, which rows extend parallel With the sides of the mouth or slit1G and the innermost roivs are adjacent the edges of said slit. Thusthese plates or rcintorc ing slits 19 form a bottoni .tor the slots 1Sso that the slots are in the nature oi grooves which form seats tor thelacing. At the outer ends 01" the slots 18 the reinforcing` strips 19are provided with elongated openings 22 through which the lacing l? isadapted to be threaded. These openings allow the lacings to be threadedtherethrough in a substantially 'tlat condition, thus eliminating thenecessity et roun-:ling orv tapering the lacing as necessary in ballshaving round lacing openings.

In lacing a ball the lacings are run transversely across the outer 'faceof the casing and are litted within the grooves or slots 18 as clearlyshown in Figure Ll of the draivings. Thus the lacing on the outersurface dof the ball will be lush therewith and thus not interfere withthe bounding or rolling and catching of the ball.

Referring to Figure 2 et the drawing it can be seen that the lacingextends diagonally from one opening to the other and that the terminalsof the lacing are placed under the diagonally extending portions asindicated by the reference character 23.

The proper method of securing the end of the lace after passing throughthe .irst tivo holes is, by passing part of the lace through a slit cutnear the end'ot the lace to form a loop as clearly shown in the drawings.

It is to be also noted by reterring to Figure 2, that the extreme endsof the reinforcing strips 19 are Yserved to the seams 24 of the portionsof leather Jfrom which the ball is formed.

In Figures 7 to 11 inclusive I have shown a Inodiiied form of lacing theball and in this form the ball is generallyT indicated by the referencecharacter B.

In this -torni of the invention the casing 25 is provided With anelongated opening 26and aliiXed or otherwise secured to the inner faceof the casing are reinforcing strips 27 and 28 which can be andpreferably are formed of leather. These strips cover the opening 26 andforni an inner wall for the same and these strips at the longitudinalcenter of said openings defining a slit or mouth 29 through which thebladder of the ball is adapted to be inserted and blown up. By securingthe strips 27. and 2S to the inside ot' the casing 25 at the opening267. it can be seen that the strips will lie inward olf Athe A.outerface of the ball and thus torni a,

countersunlr portion in which the lacing 30 is adapted to lic. Thelacing B0 is of substantially the saine thickness as the thicliness ofthe casing so as to lie flush with the outer surface of the casing. lacbstrip is provided With a longitudinal ron* o i' clongated or polygonalshaped openings 3l through which the lacing is inserted and theterminals of the lacing are adapted to be inserted under the portions ottl e lacing extending transversely of the slit portion on the innersurface of the ball as indicated by the reference character 32.

Rugby ootballs made from this design provide al much better grippingsurface Yl'or the fingers when in the act or" throwing the ball. andconsequently will greatly increase the distance and accuracy et' thethrow. The fingers fitting in between the lacings and holding on theribs formed by the outer cas ing provides this grip.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have provided a novel meansfor lacing`|` the casing of ootballs and the like in which the lacingWill be flush with the outer sur- 'face of such ball and the casing willbe reinforced atA the month thereof.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit orscope ot this invention, but:

What I claim as lnew is:

A ball comprising a protecting casing having an entrance slit andtransverse slots communicating With said slit, reinforcing` stripssecured to the inner surface ot the ball and meeting at the entrance.slit and. forming bottoms for thc transverse slots, said strips beingprovided with a row ol" apertures having substantially `llat sides onthe side toward said slits, and a. lacing threaded through said openingsand drawn against the lat side ot said openings in said transverse slots'or closing said slits.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature.

THOMAS enana.

